Insurance

Hello,

I have two bunnies, on from my local pet shop in February 2009 and another from my local rescue in early 2010 they are a bonded pair (Poppy and Morris).

When we first got Poppy she had gastric stasis a few times, she seems to be prone to it and now we manage the condition (she hasn't suffered a bout since June 2011). Morris has had it once in May 2010 (very mild and probably due to stress as we had just bonded and they had very different eating habits - Poppy was a scoffer and Morris liked to take time over his food, notice the past tense )

Anyway looked at insurance about a year ago and advised Gastric Statis wasn't covered so didn't bother, just put money in a saving account and figured this would cover any costs for Gastric Stasis (the only thing either of them ever suffered) then Morris broke his leg and it was awful. Cost nearly £2k all in to get it fixed (thankfully he is back in tip top shape and thanks to a highly skilled vet who specialises in rabbits he had surgery to fix the break and is practically as good as new).

The cost made me think about insurance again and come to the realisation that my smart plan of £25pm into savings just might not cut it! I talked to my vet and a couple of other rabbit owners about insurance and they seem to think some insurers would still insure provided buns have a clean bill of health.

I had a general checkup in April this year and they are both in good health and I doing a course of panacur at the moment too as a preventative measure. They are regularly vaccinated and well looked after (we have had to learn all sorts about diets and care).

I just called Petplan and they said they wouldn't cover it but the Customer Service Exec I spoke to was massively helpful (their call centres are in India which has a bad reputation but he was great) and I emailed him a brief history of both bunnies and he is going to liaise with the underwriter to see what they can do.

Anyone else had anything similar or have any suggestions of insurers who cater for this type of thing? Not sure there is much point if such a broad condition as gastric status is disqualified... (although thats why I didn't take it out last year more fool me with a £2k vet bill!)

Thanks Hx

Petplan have always paid out for my bunnys gut stasis even when one was hospitalised for 3 days

Hi Wendle

Thanks for the response. I think it's cos they asked me about previous conditions and I said gastric stasis and then they said it wouldn't be covered, now its on record and even if it wasn't I would have let them know as I don't want to commit insurance fraud.....

Apparently notes from the 'Chief Underwriter' on the last quote say it wouldn't be covered....

:wave: Pet plan paid out for stasis issues for one of my bunnies. I thought it was just dental they didn't cover?

EDIT: Oh sorry I just read your second post

Yayhelen said:

Hi Wendle

Thanks for the response. I think it's cos they asked me about previous conditions and I said gastric stasis and then they said it wouldn't be covered, now its on record and even if it wasn't I would have let them know as I don't want to commit insurance fraud.....

Apparently notes from the 'Chief Underwriter' on the last quote say it wouldn't be covered....

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Ahh I see no they won't pay out if ya bunny had a illness before ya insured which is a shame really

I'm in the same position and decided not to insure (same as you did) and Artie suffered bladder sludge requiring surgery. The surgery was over £300 and his ongoing care is about £400 a year, I really, really wish I'd insured him even though he wasn't covered for GI stasis. By the time I decided insurance was a good idea he was over 5 so I thought I couldn't insure him. I was made aware, by a thread on here, that Pets at Home were insuring rabbits over 5 at the start of the policy - I immediately got him insured. Only about 3 months later he developed kidney stones requiring 2 surgeries totalling £1.4K. By some miracle the insurers agreed that it was a separate medical condition to his previous so I was covered. Sadly I'd only chosen annual insurance so only got £1K back but thank god I did.

I have 10 bunnies all insured. Three of them have a pre-existing history of stasis so aren't covered for it. Rudy is also not covered for anything dental, eyes and face abscesses which annoys me hugely - it's because he had one dental at the age of one, four years ago and has had no problems since yet has all those exclusions. :evil: I still have him insured though in case of all the other nasties that could happen... including the broken leg scenario. I resent paying out the higher price for high cover for Pet Plan on those not covered for stasis though and they are covered by Pets at Home, so cheaper, though less cover.

Thanks Bunny Buddy,

Pet plan was £20pm for 11 months for 2 bunnies not including stasis cover... Will see what they say next week but will probably go with it as can afoord the odd gastric stasis incident (£110 OoO's call out plus costs much easier than £2-3k surgery bill!!). Aside from broken leg neither have ever had any issue so would be covered & probably worth it!!